I am finishing my first week on a tour through the Baltics with Exodus Adventure Travels. I’ll do a separate trip report for the actual journey, but since this company is relatively unknown on the forum, I thought I would do a review on the tour experience itself.
This company is UK based and offers a variety of experiences worldwide ranging from cultural experience trips like mine to climbing to base camp at Everest. The UK roots were evident as I was the only American on the tour. I chose them because they offered an itinerary through the Baltics that was quite appealing to me. The Baltics have not disappointed!
Our tour consists of the maximum number of participants allowed on any tour, 18. There are 5 couples and 8 solo travelers. This company has a reputation for being solo travel friendly and it shows. The group has been congenial and a pleasure to travel with. We have a tour manager who has done a great job and local guides are used generously.
Lodging: The hotels have been well located in each city with easy walking access to Old Towns and good transit connections. All have had excellent breakfast buffets which are included meals. Rooms have been good quality and clean. I had one room that was a single, but usually had a double room and even a one bedroom suite at one hotel. You are expected to handle your own luggage to and from the bus.
Meals: All breakfast and one “get acquainted” dinner were included. I found I really liked the freedom to pick my own mealtimes and locations without feeling like I had to go to a group dinner because I had paid for it. Interestingly, I probably ate more meals with group members than I have on many other tours I had been on. There were always dining companions available if desired. The prices in the Baltics mean you can get a full meal for 10-15 euros.
Included touring: walking tours in every town/city and at key sites throughout the journey. Admissions at locations visited by entire group, and transportation. The tour manager handled logistics and gave educational briefings as we traveled. There was always a nice mix of independent free time to pursue one’s own interests except on travel days between countries. My one complaint here is that they did not use a whisper or vox system which I felt was a major fail.
Transportation: Coaches with plenty of room, some local buses, trains, and ferries. Lots of walking. I would say the minimum degree of fitness required is the ability to walk about 4 miles a day. I often did 6, but that included my independent time. This is probably not a tour for an individual with mobility concerns.
Tipping: Tips are not included in the base price. The manager collected 40 euros per person to create a tipping pool and then took care of all tips for the guides, drivers, etc. This worked quite well. Tips for tour manager were at passenger discretion and handled privately.
I have been pleased overall with the tour operations with the exception of not having the whisper or Vox audio system. I would travel with this company again if the itinerary matched my needs.